Give Me A Reason Due South 2011
by spooksfan08
Summary: Fraser is never late. All his friends worried about him and Meg. Are they right to be? Is a face from the past back to haunt them? Can the team find Meg and Fraser before it's too late?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer I do not own Due South.**

**This is my second Due South story and follows on from Back With A Vengence.**

**Give Me A Reason.**

Lt Harvey Welsh had been a policeman for as long as he could remember. He smiled slightly as he sat at his desk and watched the two Rays bickering in the outer office as Elaine and Francesca deliberately avoided them. Even Huey and Duey were keeping a discreet distance. For a moment he wondered where the two Canadian officers who had become a part of the furniture were. Sighing he picked up the phone knowing a call at that time of day was not going to be good news.

"Yeah?" He snapped into the phone as the commotion in the bullpen seemed to take on a new level of noise.

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"Fraser?" Elaine stopped as she walked back to her desk carrying two steaming mugs of coffee. Francesca took one from her gratefully.

"Yeah. That's what I said." Kowalski was beginning to get annoyed. Diefenbaker barked once as he stood next to Ray Kowalski.

"He was late?" Even to her own ears that sounded wrong.

"No. He wasn't there."

"How was he not there?" Vecchio was immediately worried.

"As in he wasn't there. As in absent, not present when required." Kowalski watched as Vecchio rolled his eyes.

"What about the dragon lady? Turnbull?" Francesca bit her nails as the door to the office burst open.

"Kowalski, Vecchio, Elaine, Francesca. My office!" Lt Welsh turned and slammed the door on his way back in. The two women exchanged glances as they followed their boss into the office. Elaine sighed as she saw Huey and Dewy were already watching her. It was going to be a long day.

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Turnbull stood outside the Consulate immobile as the pedestrians hurried past. He was grateful it was sunny and relatively warm after the Chicago winter. He remained focused as Kowalski and Vecchio approached, he knew the americans were going to try to distract him. He had seven more minutes of his shift left and he was not going to become derelict in his duty, whatever they said.

"Hey Turnbull." Vecchio stared at him. "Fraser in?"

No response. Kowalski raised an eyebrow.

"Thatcher?"

Again no response.

"Have you seen them this morning?"

"Ray he ain't going to answer you." Kowalski smiled as he walked past him into the Canadian Consulate. Vecchio nodded once before following him.

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"Ben?" Meg felt sick. She had no idea where she was. Just that she had left work with Fraser the night before. The plan had been to get something to eat and spend the night at his apartment. The last thing she remembered was him stepping back to let her go through the door first. _Always the gentleman. _She smiled slightly as she realised he was in the same room as her. Although there was no sign of Diefenbaker, which worried her slightly.

"Are you alright? Are you hurt?" Meg smiled as she heard him ask.

"No. I think I'm ok." Meg lied. Every cell in her body burned. "You?"

"I think I'll live." Ben reached for her hand as the muscles in his shoulder screamed in protest.

"Really?" A distinctly Canadian accent asked. Both Fraser and Meg looked towards the heavy set tattooed man in the corner. "I wouldn't be so sure."

**A/N Should I continue with this? Does anyone read Due South stories anymore? Please review.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer I do not own Due South.**

**Missing?**

Elaine ran a tired hand over her face. They had been working on the idea that Constable Fraser and Inspector Thatcher had gone missing. Although so far there were no signs of forced entry at either apartment and no sign of a struggle at the Consulate. She sighed as Lt Welsh approached her.

"Elaine?"

"Hi." She looked up as he sat in Francesca's chair. "What gets me Sir, is why? Why would anyone want to hurt those two? And how is Diefenbaker safe?"

"You know that wolf. He can take care of himself. And those two? They find trouble wherever they go."

"True." Elaine nodded. "But are they really in trouble?"

"You ever known Fraser miss a meeting? Ever known him be late?" Elaine shook her head. "No, me either. And I have never known him leave town without arranging for someone to look after Dief."

"Sir." She looked up as the older man sighed. "We will find them."

"Yes, Elaine. We will." He nodded as the bullpen doors opened to allow Francesca and her brother to enter.

"Frannie!"

"Sir, do you mind if I murder my brother?"

"Carry on." Welsh smiled. He had got used to the bickering siblings over the years. "Only I hope one of you has the footage from the security cameras. If not I want to know why not."

"Got it right here Sir." Ray announced as he waved the disc in the air.

"Well lets see exactly what happened to those two last night." Welsh leant against Elaine's desk as Vecchio put the disc in the machine.

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Thatcher looked around the empty room. She had no idea how long she had been unconscious for but she knew Fraser had been with her the last time she had woken up. Now the room was empty and she couldn't help the stab of fear that hit her. _Fraser was gone. Where? Why? Who was doing this? _She rested her head back against the white painted wall as she tried to think about what had happened. The more she thought the more she thought the more she couldn't remember what happened. She had no idea where Fraser was. Despite being alone. Being cold and in pain that was the one thing that really frightened her. She had no idea where her fiance was. She closed her eyes and tried her best not to cry. She wouldn't cry. Not now. Not until she was home. With Fraser.

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"When was this?" Kowalski replayed the DVD as Huey and Duey approached.

"Turnbull said it was last night, approx 9pm. He went off duty at 8." Francesca answered.

"And you know this because?" Vecchio turned to his sister as she rolled her eyes.

"I know this because." She sighed dramatically. "He took me to the movies."

"Does Ma know?"

"Ray!" She shook her head as Elaine pulled a face. Kowalski turned to them.

"Can we keep a little focus here please? You know on the fact Fraser and Thatcher are missing." He pushed his glasses further up his nose as Diefenbaker wined in agreement.

"Ok." Vecchio turned to his sister. "We talk about this later."

"Shut up." Francesca glared. She knew that whatever happened she would always be Ray's little sister. However old she got.

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Fraser glared straight ahead as he realised who had taken him and Meg. He clenched his jaw as another punch connected with his face.

"You betrayed your country Constable Fraser!"

"Hello Bolt."

"You remember me? I am flattered." The grey haired man smiled.

"It is difficult to forget a man who kidnapped a train full of my colleagues and friends. And then had me and my colleague strapped to explosives." Fraser glared.

"Yeah, that's going to stick in the memory I would say." Bolt laughed. "And now you and the lovely Inspector Thatcher are an item. Soon to be joined in Holy Matromony. Congratulations."

"Thank you." Fraser knew there was no point in lying. "Where is she?"

"Safe and sound Fraser. Safe and sound, for now." He chuckled omniously as Fraser glared. "That is unless you think you would like some company. I think having the woman you love here with us now may just be the catalysed needed." He began walking around the small room as Fraser fell silent.

"Catalyst for what you may ask!" Bolt continued to revel in the showmanship. "Well, nothing really. Just revenge. Plain and simple. Revenge."

**A/N Thankyou all for the reviews. I will definately go on with this. Thank you kindly!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer I do not own anything related to Due South.**

**Alone.**

Meg was cold. She didn't think she had ever been so cold in her life. At that moment she regretted wearing the thin summer blouse she had chosen. Even if red did suit her. She sat in the cold, whitewashed room alone, wondering where Fraser was and if anyone actually realised they were missing.

"Meg Thatcher, this is ridiculous." She muttered as she wiped an angry tear away from her eye.

She looked around the room as she tried to think how she was going to get out and find Fraser. She knew whereever he was he was in trouble.

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Diefenbaker sat at Vecchio's feet as the detective glared along the street. He was begining to worry about his master and had an idea the other humans were just as concerned. Staring up at Vecchio he wined, causing the detective to look down on him.

"I know Dief." Ray sighed. "Only thing is, wherever they are, they are together."

Diefenbaker wined in acknowlegment before resting his head on his paws. He wanted Fraser back, the brash American talked nonsense. Even a deaf half wolf was beginning to see that. Ray reached down and scratched the wolf's head as Kowlaski pulled the car in front of the Consulate.

"Hey!"

"You took your time. Do we really have to travel in this heap o junk? What's wrong with my Buick?"

"It is not a heap of junk! And your classic car is so slow my Grandma could drive it!" Kowalski countered as he watched the detective and the wolf get in the car.

"Where have you been anyway?"

"Francesca called."

"And?" Vecchio waved his hands, hoping to get more information out of his friend.

"And." Kowlaski paused. "She went through the CCTV tape and spoke to Fraser's neighbours."

"Benny's neighbours? He lives in an apartment block where half the tennants have a record and the other half don't go out in daylight." Vecchio watched as Kowalski raised an eyebrow.

"Well, one of the inhabitants said he has seen a man hanging around, asking questions."

"About Benny?"

"No, about this weeks Jepardy! Of course about Fraser and Thatcher. Describes him as 5ft 10, white, grey hair and a beard. With a Canadian accent. Ring any bells?" Kowlaski pulled the car out into the main Chicago traffic.

"Ringing them? No Ray, not just ringing them I got the whole set of church bells going off in my head." Vecchio glared. "Randall K. Bolt."

"You know this guy?"

"Know him? I arrested this guy with Fraser. Twice. He tried to kill us and Thatcher twice." Vecchio glared as Diefenbaker sighed. "He should be serving life in prison."

"Right, well Elaine and Francesca have pulled the files. Because he certainly isn't in prison now." Kowlaski gunned the engine as Vecchio stared straight ahead.

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"Him again?" Welsh stared at the two female detectives as Elaine nodded. Francesca stared at her feet as the older man sighed. "How?"

"I talked to the County Jail. He was released in May last year. Good behaviour." Elaine explained.

"Good behaviour? Kidnapping a train full of RCMP and trying to send a train full of explosives into Chicago then trying to blow up Vecchio and Kowlski at the trial? How is that good behaviour?" He ran a hand over his face as the two women stared at each other. They remembered the encounter with the Canadian terrorist well.

"Apparently, he's been behaving himself since he was put in prison." Francesca shrugged her shoulders.

"Yeah." Elaine nodded.

"Biding his time if you ask me. Get Vecchio and Kowalski back here. Get me State's Attourney Stella Kowalski on the phone. I wanna know why Bolt was released on good behaviour. What Judge has he got in his back pocket this time?" Welsh pushed his bulk away from the desk and began walking back to his office when Francesca called out.

"It ain't her. Stella is in New York for a month."

"Who is it?" Welsh yelled.

"Assistant State Attourney Alexis J. Beckett."

"Right, well get her down here. I want answers and I want those two magnets for trouble back in the Canadian Consulate." Welsh slammed the door to his office wondering exactly how he was going to get the two Mounties back in one piece if Bolt was involved.

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Fraser rested his head back against the wall. He was beginning to think he had a broken jaw and was getting slightly concerned that his right eye was going to swell closed. Silently he tried to forget the pain in his jaw. It should have been a good day. The best day. He had proposed to Meg after nearly a decade of wanting to. They had danced around each other for years until they had met again in Canada when it had been the last thing he expected. He smiled slightly as he remembered the way she had just stood and stared at him as they bumped into each other in the mall. Typically he had been chasing a shop lifter. She had been shopping. It had all led on from there.

"Meg." He whispered. Hoping and praying she was safe.

He opened an eye as he realised he was no longer alone. The door to the room was wide open and Bolt was stood in the doorway.

"Ah Constable Fraser."

"Bolt." He almost spat the word through gritted teeth.

"You missing your lady friend?"

Fraser remained silent. He had no idea why Bolt had abducted them both, just that the burn mark from the taser gun still stung. He knew if he said anything Meg would probably be killed. Instead he fixed Bolt with a stare that could melt iron. There was very few people Benton Fraser detested but the man in front of him was one of them. Bolt smiled as he watched the Mountie.

"Well far be it from me to leave you lonely." He stepped back to let another man enter the room. Fraser stared as Meg was uncerimoniously flung into the room. She was shaking slightly as she landed next to Fraser. Bolt shook his head and laughed before he left the room. "Not long now my friends. Not long now." The door was slammed behind them as Fraser moved closer to Meg.

"Are you ok?"

"Do I look ok Constable?" She snapped as she looked away, determined not to cry. She was furious but the sight of Fraser battered and bruised broke her heart. He smiled slightly as he rested a hand on her shoulder.

"Meg."

"What?" She turned to face him. It was then he saw the bruising around her jaw and neck. He crushed the anger that was beginning to bubble in his chest. "Why is he even out of prison?"

"I don't know."

"We should have been warned!" Meg was furious. Someone somewhere should have told them.

"I know." Fraser smiled slightly. "Look the Rays will have worked out we are missing. Turnbull will know we need help." Meg raised an eyebrow as Fraser spoke. He couldn't help but smile as she rested her head against his shoulder. He took her hand in his uninjured one.

"You really think that?" She sighed. He could feel her trembling next to him and for a moment wondered what had happened to her in their time apart.

"I do." He lied. "I really do."

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**Is Fraser right? Will they be rescued and will Fraser Snr turn up to save the day? Please review. **


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer I do not own Due South. Sorry if none of this makes sense. I am currently between computers and trying to write this on my iPhone. Therefore there maybe some grammatical errors.

Like father? Like son?

Fraser held Meg as she finally relaxed against him. He had no idea what had happened to her while he had been with Bolt. The thought someone had hurt her, had scared her again made him feel physically sick. He brushed a strand of dark hair away from her face as she closed her eyes. He knew he had to ask but the words stuck in his throat.

"Hey" Meg smiled slightly as she felt him touch her face.

"Hi" he replied as she opened her eyes to see his staring back at her.

"Fraser, what happened to you?"

"ssh." he smiled slightly "I'm fine."

"Fraser." She stared at his chest as she spoke. "Look, I think I have an idea."

Fraser sighed as she spoke. He knew Meg Thatcher well enough to know her ideas were as crazy as his own. He had a very strange feeling he knew how the two Rays felt when the same words fell from his lips.

Xxxxxxx

Elaine exchanged glances with Kowalski as Vecchio outlined what little they knew about Bolt since his release from prison. It wasn't much. Elaine feared it wasn't enough to help them find the two missing Mounties. She also had a sickening feeling time was running out. Fraser and Meg had been missing over 24 hours. She knew that statistically they were already on borrowed time.

Kowalski folded his arms and stared at the floor as Vecchio went on to explain the case where he and Fraser had been strapped to explosives, leaving Meg to deal with the police department and the two most incompetent and annoying FBI agents the Bureu had ever employed. For a moment Vecchio wondered what had happened to the two men. He paused for a moment as Diefenbaker whined.

"So that was the last you heard of them?" Elaine looked up from her notes.

"That's what I just said."

"Bail hostel." Francesca announced as she walked into the squad room. "Corner of Montgomery St and Western Avenue. Bolt never showed up last night. They say he missed his curfew the night before."

"Well what are we waiting for?" Kowalski straightened up as Vecchio nodded.

The two men marched from the office as Elaine picked up the phone. She had a feeling it was going to be a very long day.

Xxxxxx

Meg hated the cold and had always been terrified of the dark. It was something she would never admit but as the darkness encroached on her and Fraser she had a fair idea he was going to find out soon enough.

"Meg ? You really think this will work?" Fraser asked quietly.

"Honestly? I dont really know." She tried to sound more self assured than she really did. She needed Fraser to trust her impliciltly but she really was unsure whether her idea would work. For all she knew Bolt really wouldn't believe her or her acting skills would be so good he would just kill her to put her out of her misery.

"Well that's reassuring."

"Fraser." Meg hissed "Do you have a better idea?" He was silent for a moment before admitting defeat. He was cold and hungry and although he hated to admit it a little scared. He closed his eyes as he heard his father next to them.

"She has a point son. You can't just go dismissing her ideas just because you have none of your own." The dead Mountie scolded him. Fraser closed his eyes. A lecture from his dead father was the last thing he needed.

"No." He paused. He tried his best to ignore his father who was now pacing the room and muttering about his lack of grandchildren. He rolled his eyes as he turned to Margaret. "No Meg. No I don't, but that doesn't mean I want to risk you getting hurt"

A/N did this work? More soon. Please review.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer. I still do not own Due South.: Sorry for the delay in updating. Am finally back on line properly now. As ever Due South and all it's charcters are the property of someone else!

( Hopes and fears

Elaine looked out of the car window at the rain swept Chicago street. She felt her heart sink as she realised the Bail Hostel she was staring at was probably home to some of the people she had helped put behind bars during her years in the Chicago PD. She sighed heavily as she heard Kowalski speak on the cell phone. He was sat in the driver's seat and was almost itching to get out of the car. She knew he was keen to get into the hostel and start asking questions.

"Elaine?"

"Yeah." She turned to face him as the sky above them opened once more.

"You ready for this?" He watched as she nodded her head.

"Bolt is a dangerous man. It always amazed me how he went to prison rather than ending up in a psychiatric facility somewhere. Even Huey said he was unlike any other criminal you guys came up against. I mean, I was only Civilian Aid in those days but I remember the panic that went through the station when Bolt hijacked the train full of RCMP." She bit her bottom lip remembering how Vecchio had got the phone call halfway through his poker game.

"Yeah, I read the case file." Kowalski smiled. "This guy is a grade A psycho. With a thing against Fraser and the Dragon Lady."

"Against police in general. As will most of his housemates." Elaine gestered towards the Bail Hostel. Kowalski smiled infurinately at her.

"Well, yeah." He smirked. "But that ain't our fault. What you waiting for?" He was out of the car and across the street before Elaine could answer him. She rolled her eyes and ran from the car, resigned to the fact she was about to get drenched.

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"You really think this is going to work?" Fraser tightened his hold on her slightly as he felt her nod against his chest. She was completely unaware that his long dead father was pacing the room shaking his head. It was clear Fraser Senior agreed with his son. Even by his standards the plan was foolhardy and dangerous.

"Son?" The dead mountie stared at Meg as he spoke. "She's a fine woman but I don't like the sound of this. These men. They are not fools. Not by a long chalk."

"They are not stupid." Fraser answered as he felt Meg pull away from him. "We cannot underestimate them."

"I am well aware of that Constable." Meg hissed. She immediately regretted it. "But neither should you underestimate me."

"I never have." Fraser held her gaze. "You know that."

"So we are doing this?" Meg hoped she sounded more certain than she felt. The butterflies in her stomach were currently dancing the fandango.

"HELP!" Fraser yelled as Meg laid down on the floor and closed her eyes. "I NEED SOME HELP IN HERE!" He crossed to the door and began banging the door as if his life depended on it. The sound of heavy footsteps rushing towards them made his heart beat faster. It was now or never.

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"You found nothing?" Lt Welsh rested his head on his hands wearily. He had hoped the trip to the Bail Hostel would at least give them some information that may have helped them. Instead he had two of his detectives stood in front of his desk as if they were naughty children that had been sent to the headteacher.

"Not entirely nothing Sir." Kowalski started. "We went into Bolt's room."

"And?"

"And it was as neat as a pin." Elaine answered. "Nothing out of place, nothing where it shouldn't have been."

"Which tells us what?"

"That he is still just as obsessive as he was all those years ago." Elaine answered. "That he still has the attention to detail he always did."

"Yeah." Welsh sighed. "You know what? It doesn't tell us where Fraser and Inspector Thatcher are."

Diefenbaker wined as he rested his head on his paws. he didn't like his pack being broken up and he was worried about his master and the lady that spent so much time with them. He watched as the other humans argued about what to do. All were quiet for a moment before the office door burst open.

"Francesca!" Lt Welsh yelled as she barged into the room. Francesca stared at him as he called her name. "It is customary to knock the door before you are allowed to enter."

"Yeah, whatever." She dismissed him as he shook his head in frustration.

"What do you want?" Welsh sighed.

"Bolt rented a car yesterday morning. We only found out now because it failed to be returned to the renters and it was leased to him in another name." Francesca explained. "Oh and Ray is on his way there now."

"And this has only just come to our attention now?"

"Because the car was found on the wasteland behind St Francis Church. Burnt out." Fran folded her arms as she spoke.

"What was the name the lease office were given?" Elaine asked.

"The sedan was rented to a man called Mr. Raymond Fraser." Elaine rolled her eyes as Fran spoke. It seemed obvious when Elaine spoke. Welsh closed his eyes as Kowalski ran a hand through his unruly blonde hair. He was so angry he could barely contain himself. He held his tongue as he waited for Francesca to continue.

"The address is the other side of the city." She held up a slip of paper as Kowlaski snatched it from her grasp. "Thanks Franny." He was out the door before Welsh could yell. Elaine pointed in the direction her friend had left in and followed him as Welsh nodded.

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"What you yelling for?" The man stormed into the room Fraser had been held in as Fraser realised the man was no more than a boy. Late teens at least.

"I can't wake her up." Fraser pointed to Meg who laid as still as a corpse on the floor.

"And that should bother me because?"

"Because you are a human being and you can help her." Fraser stared at the young man. The adrenaline coursing through his veins made his breathing erratic. The thought that Meg was hurt was bad enough to make him feel sick, even if she was only acting. The younger man nodded once before walking across to her and knelt down on one knee. Fraser glanced out of the door, happy that the man had arrived on his own.

"Wake up." The man shook Meg's shoulder as her eyes rolled doll like in her head.

"I tried that, whatever your people did to her was enough to put her in that state." Fraser almost yelled as the man looked up at him. Seconds later Meg elbowed him in the side of the head, sending him scattering to the floor. Fraser stepped over the young man, appologised and took Meg's hand.

"Time we went home." Meg smiled slightly as they walked into the corridor. Fraser smiled slightly, but he couldn't shake the feeling getting out of the room was just the first part of the escape. Meg squeezed his hand slightly as she glanced at him. For a moment he had a feeling there was something Meg wanted to tell him. But now wasn't the time. He nodded as he walked with her along the corridor hoping it would lead them home.

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A/N More soon. Please review.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer I do not own Due South. **

**Face to Face**

Fraser could feel his heart beating dangerously fast in his chest. He wanted to get himself and Meg as far away from Bolt and his accomplices as he could. He gripped Meg's hand in his larger one, afraid to look at her incase she saw just how scared he really was. The badly lit hallway made the escape all the more dangerous and unpredictable. All the while he could hear his father's voice tutting and muttering in his ear.

"Please will you be quiet." Fraser whispered angrily.

"I haven't said anything." Meg glanced at him. Fraser Snr raised an eyebrow.

"Don't take things out on her son, she was the only one to come up with a plan. Don't be angry because she saw a way out of this." The dead mountie answered. Fraser pinched the end of his nose and sighed.

"Sorry. I am sorry, it's just." He paused as Meg nodded.

"I know. It's fine, forget it." She dropped his hand and marched on ahead of him. He had a feeling that things were far from fine.

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Francesca was beginning to think they were never going to find the two errant mounties. She sat at her desk as she poured over a dozen computer printouts relating to the crimes of Randall K Bolt, his cousin and various other members of his gang. All were now either dead, victims of Bolt's treachary or in prison. None seemed to be able to help hide two Canadians in Chicago. She froze as a thought occured to her, unaware that her friend had sat in front of her.

"The guys have gone to speak to the manager of the car rental firm." Elaine watched as Francesca ignored her.

"Frannie!"

"Oh, hi. Um sorry." Francesca looked up.

"The two Rays. They've gone to talk to the manager of the car rental company." Elaine repeated.

"Ok." Francesca bit her pen as she returned her attention to the papers on her desk. "You know Bolt was in prison for trying to drive that train into Chicago? With a nuclear bomb on board and a carriage full of RCMP, including Meg and Fraser?"

"Yes, we all know about that." Elaine frowned. She had no idea where her friend was going with this.

"He wanted to kill them."

"I guessed that." Welch announced as he appeared behind Elaine. "It seems to me he has spent the last fifteen years in prison thinking of ways to finish what he started, while we have all moved on with our lives. Ladies, I suggest you find him before any more time passes." He folded his arms across his stomach as Diefenbaker whined. Lt Welsh looked down at the half wolf.

"It's been days." Elaine sighed. "Almost 50 hours since they were last seen."

"No. NO!" Francesca walked away waving her hands in the air. "They are fine. FINE! And we will find them."

Elaine and Lt Welsh exchanged glances as they watched Francesca walk across the Bullpen towards the coffee machine. Neither wanted to say what was on their minds. They both knew the longer Meg and Fraser was missing the less chance there was that they were going to be found.

DSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDS

Kowalski stared at the small portakabin as Vecchio walked towards the man stood in the doorway. The car lot was small and independant, not like the big firms that worked out of Chicago. He smiled as he watched Vecchio rock back on his heels. It was time to see what the manager knew about Mr Raymond Fraser and the car he had rented.

"Ray." Vecchio called as he saw Kowalski walked towards them. "Mr Burgess here says our man rented the car three days back."

"Figures." Kowalski answered.

"Yeah. So I'm thinking that being the good citizen Mr Burgess here is he wont mind if we take a look through his CCTV footage." Vecchio smirked as the fat, balding man looked on as he slowly turned red.

"Well, I think." The middle aged man turned a shade of red that made Kowlaski wonder about his blood pressure. "I think you need a warrant for that."

"Yeah." Kowlaski answered. "But I think my colleague here assumed you were the kinda man that would be willing to help the police without being kajoled into it. You know we can get a search warrant real easy. And when we do it aint just gonna be the CCTV we need to look at. It's gonna be everything. Every little detail of the business, maybe even your own premises. So if I were you I'd hand over those tapes with a smile on my face and be glad I did my civic duty."

"Well, I." He looked from one Ray to the other. "Well yes. I'll just get the tapes." Vecchio couldn't help but smirk. It did seem that together they managed to get things done.

Meg ached in places she never knew she had. She was angry with Fraser. She didn't really know why but she was furious with him. He walked a few steps behind her, looking over his shoulder as he went. The darkness of the hallway made Meg think they were in a much larger building than they originally believed.

"Meg." Fraser began but she ignored him. The pain shooting through her made her feel dizzy. It was all she could do to remain standing.

"Sir?"

"What?" She snapped her head around to face him so quickly that her hair whipped around her face. Fraser fell quiet as he saw how pale she suddenly was.

"I think we are near water of some kind."

"Fraser, Chicago is not on the coast as far as I am aware." Meg snapped.

"29 miles of Lakefront actually. Chicago isn't all concrete and skyscrapers. When I first got here I took Dief around the city looking for any little piece of greenery I could find." Fraser answered as Meg met his eyes. "Meg, what is it?"

"If you are right and we are near water." She looked away. "Then that gives us 29miles of Chicago that we could be in. Fraser, we could be anywhere."

"She has a point son." Fraser Snr interjected as Fraser made a point of ignoring his father.

"We will get home Meg." He took her hand again as the familiar sound of a gun having it's safety catch off. Meg closed her eyes. She wanted to believe Fraser but it was beginning to get difficult.

"Now, what do we have here? Love's young dream. Exept not so young anymore." Bolt teased as Fraser kept his eyes on Meg. "I think it is time this ended. The game is getting boring now."

"We agree on something." Fraser spoke without turning to Bolt.

"That we do. That we most certainly do." He stepped closer. "Constable Fraser, if you move I will shoot the Inspector here. Inspector, I will shoot your subordinate if you move. Now both of you get down on your knees, facing each other. If you are to die, which I think is the likely outcome of this scenario then the least you can do is look into the eyes of the person you love." Bolt laughed as he raised the gun. "NOW!"

Fraser squeezed Meg's hand as he saw her eyes widen in fear. He knew the emotion was mirrored in his own eyes.

"Ben." She whispered.

"Ssh." Fraser felt himself shake slightly as he held her gaze. He could think of nothing that would get them out of the situation they were in. Bolt was going to win. He smiled slightly at Meg as she took a deep breath.

"Ben, I need to tell you something. But not here."

"Honey, time to put up or shut up as they say." Bolt pointed the gun at Fraser's head as Meg turned to face their captor.

"What did you call me?" The indignation in her voice hid her fear. It seemed that now they were face to face there was no way Meg Thatcher was going down without a fight.

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A/N More soon? Please review.


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer I do not own Due South.**

**The Female of the Species?**

Meg was furious. She had been angry before, mostly at the two Rays and Fraser but this type of anger was new to her. She wanted to kill Randall K Bolt like she had never wanted to kill anyone before. It seemed so unfair that after all this time the man should come back into their lives. Now. After everything. She continued to stare at the bearded man as he smirked.

"Inspector Thatcher." He smiled as Fraser realised what was happening. He had been on the recieving end of one of Thatcher's looks on more than one occasion. He knew what it was like. He _knew Meg. _He knew she was buying time but for what reason he had no idea.

"I have something to say and I am not going to say it here. Like this." She glared at Bolt. "You carry on with your theatrics but you wont win. You will never win. If you pull that trigger it wont be the last you hear of me. I'll haunt you until the end of time."

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Elaine ran from the Bullpen as Francesca grabbed the phone on the desk. Diefenbaker barked for attention as Lt Welsh left his office.

"Where is she going in such a hurry?" Welsh yelled as Huey shrugged his shoulders.

"We have a lead." Francesca slammed the phone down.

"Explain Francesca, and make it quick." Welsh glared.

"You know the guy from the store on the corner? The Italian guy. Well I say Italian, he really is half Canadian, half Italian and his wife is from New York."

"Francesca."

"Sorry, sorry." She waved a hand in front of her face. "Well, he was in prison with Bolt until last May. He was a getaway driver in a bank robbery. Anyway."

"Is there a point to this Francesca?" Welsh willed her to get to the information.

"Yes! He rented his father's building to him. His dad was a property developer and died in July last year. Massive coronary. Very sad. Anyway he said Bolt offered him alot of money to rent the place. I mean the house is almost falling down so he was glad to get some money for the place." Francesca babbled.

"You have an address?"

"Yeah. The lakes."

"Get hold of Vecchio and Kowalski. Get Elaine to meet us there and Huey and Dewy better get their acts together." He stormed out of the Squad Room as she picked up her cell phone and followed him.

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"Ok." Vecchio replaced the radio on the dashboard of the car as Kowalski swung out in to traffic.

"What is it?"

"Elaine and Frannie have an address for this scumbag."

"At last." Kowalski smiled as he pushed his foot on the accelerator as Vecchio checked his gun. Both men knew the pain and fear the man holding Fraser and Meg hostage had caused over the years. As far as Vecchio was concerned. It ended today. This was the last time the man would be causing them problems. Enough was enough. The familiar stab of fear shot through his abdomen as he realised they may already be too late to save his friends.

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Elaine drove towards the address Francesca had written hurridly on a piece of paper. She knew the guys were following her but when she arrived at the scene she realised how far behind her they were. She closed her eyes and cursed as she left the car parked a little way up the hill. The house below was detached and looked as though a strong wind would blow the house down. She walked quietly towards the entrance as she imagined Welsh berating her for not waiting for back up. There simply wasn't enough time. Meg and Fraser could be dead by the time the others arrived. She couldn't let that happen. Quietly she drew her gun and crept into the derelict building as she heard the unmistakable voice of Meg Thatcher almost yelling at Randall Bolt. Before she knew what she was doing her gun was pointed at the grey bearded terrrorist.

"Let the lady say what she has to say in her own time." Elaine spoke calmly. It was only then they realised Fraser was laying pale and cold on the floor.

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Please review.


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer I do not own Due South**

**Aftershock**

Elaine stared at the scene in front of her as she kept her gun trained on Bolt. There was no way she was letting the grey haired man out of her sight. Meg stepped towards Fraser who was laying a few feet away from her as still as death and just as pale.

"Fraser?" Meg stared at him as Bolt laughed.

"Wakey wakey." He laughed as Meg shot him her best death glare.

"Randall K Bolt you are under arrest." Elaine silently prayed that the others would arrive. She knew Welsh was going to go crazy when he found out that she had gone into a hostage situation without back up. She knew if she hadn't either Meg or Fraser would be dead.

"Ben?" Meg's voice grew softer as she knelt against the silent mountie.

"BOLT!" Vecchio slammed into the room with Kowalski seconds behind. He kept his gun trained on the man he had hoped to never see again. Bolt smirked as Kowalski walked towards Elaine.

"What did you do to him?" Meg felt Fraser's pulse as his breathing grew more and more laboured.

"Ambulance required." Kowalski spoke into his cell phone as he touched Meg's shoulder. "Officer down. Repeat. Officer down." He knelt next to his friend as Vecchio and Francesca cuffed Bolt and read him his rights. Kowalski looked at the woman he considered a sister as she watched Vecchio slam the cuffs on to Bolt's wrists.

"What did you do?"

"Karma." Bolt laughed. "Karma and a tyre iron are wonderful things."

"You monster." Francesca glared at him as Meg gently stroked a stray hair away from Fraser's face. She felt sick. "Wake up Ben. Come on." She hated how pale he looked.

"You said you had something to say." Bolt reminded her as she stared straight at Fraser.

"The lady aint got nothing to say to you." Vecchio dragged him out to the waiting police van as ambulance sirens could be heard in the background.

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"Any news?" Welsh sat on the hard plastic chair next to Meg as she shook her head. "Did you get yourself checked out by the doctor?"

Meg stared at her feet as she thought about what had happened in the last few days. Welsh touched her hand as she turned to meet his gaze.

"I don't need to see a doctor."

"Really?" He raised his eyebrows as she turned to look at him.

"Why haven't they said anything? Why haven't they told us about him?"

"No news is good news." He patted her hand again.

"I just want to know." Meg closed her eyes as Vecchio and Kowalski walked towards them.

"Bolt's been charged." Vecchio almost spat the words as Kowalski leant against the white wall.

"Yeah, currently spouting alot of nationalist propaganda and calling everything that isn't American to shreads." The spiky haired blonde shook his head. "Any news on Fras?"

"Nothing." Welsh stared straight ahead.

"I called Maggie." Vecchio watched as Meg rested her head back on the wall. "I thought she should know."

"Of course." Meg spoke for the first time since her friends had arrived. She had no idea what had been said, only that Maggie had been told.

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Fraser felt sick. He was certain he had been hit by a truck, which was strange considering the nurse had told him he had been brought in from a warehouse on the East Side of the city. He closed his eyes again, it was the only way the room stopped moving long enough to concentrate.

"Constable Fraser." The doctor shone a light in his eyes.

"Meg?"

"No, I'm Dr Jones."

"My Meg." Fraser tried again. The effort to speak made his head feel as if it was going to explode. He had to know what had happened to her. The last thing he remembered was her standing up to Bolt. She had something to tell him then nothing. The world had gone blank. He had no idea if Bolt had shot her or if she was somewhere else in the hospital.

"Inspector Thatcher?" Dr Jones smiled slightly. "I think she is in the waiting area. Shall I ask nurse to get her?"

"Please." Fraser sighed in relief.

"Ok, but not for long. She can stay until you go to the ward. We'll need to keep you in hospital for at least twenty four hours. You had a nasty head injury and we'll need to monitor you for any after effects."

"Thankyou kindly." Fraser mumbled as the young nurse walked out the treatment room to collect Meg.

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Bolt shrugged his shoulders and smiled. It wasn't the first time he had been in police custody and he knew it wouldn't be the last. The grey/brown walls of the police cell were oddly soothing as he rested his head back against the wall. It was different this time. All the years of planning. All the hours spent trying to work out the best way of destroying the mounties that had caused him so much trouble and it had all been a success. The only thing he had needed in the end was a well timed tyre iron. He was certain Constable Benton Fraser of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police was dead. That should end things as far as he was concerned. He knew the Inspector and the American policemen were still alive but he was certain the death of the mountie would be enough to destroy all his friends. The thought made him smile.

"One less threat." He smiled. "One less threat to Mother America! Cousin would be so proud" He chuckled to himself as the cell door opened.

"Ah she's here." Bolt got to his feet. "Assistant States Attorney Alexis J Beckett. Here to charge me with murder?"

"No." Alex smiled sweetly. "The police have given me the evidence. I am here to inform you we will proceed to court on charges of Kidnap, Unlawful Wounding and Attempted Murder."

"But I killed him."

"Surprisingly Constable Fraser has a very thick skull." Alexis smiled as the cell door opened to let her out. "See you in court."

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"You go." Vecchio watched as Meg's eyes widened.

"What?"

"Meg, get in that hospital room." Welsh stood and ushered her towards the door as the two Rays smirked.

"Tell Benny we're out here and we're all thinking of him."

"No, tell Fraser we're all back at the station working the case." Welsh looked pointedly at his team as they all got to their feet. Only Elaine and Huey were missing. Both had gone back to the police station to ensure Bolt was properly dealt with. Vecchio shot his boss a look.

"Vecchio you stay here. The rest of us need to be back at work." Welsh looked at his team, making sure each of them were aware of how serious he was. Meg took a deep breath as she walked into the hospital room.

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"He didn't do this alone." Elaine perched on the edge of the desk as Francesca nodded.

"Question is where did he get the help?" Kowalski pushed his glassed further up his nose. "That's what I wanna know."

"So?" Elaine smiled.

"So, lets go rustle a few feathers." Kowalski pushed his feet from the edge of the desk as Elaine grabed her keys. She was determined to get some answers but had no idea where to look.

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"Hey." Meg stared at Fraser as he lay in the hospital bed. He seemed to be attached to a hundred pieces of monitoring equipment.

"Sir."

"Fraser." Meg raised an eyebrow.

"Sorry. Habit." He smiled as she kissed his cheek. Her hand was firmly holding on to his.

"You scared me."

"Sorry." He smiled as she pulled back and met his gaze.

"Ben." She closed her eyes. "You were unconscius, you were so ill. That. That man." She bit her lip as she tried to stop the tears that were threatening to spill from her eyes and run down her face.

"Meg." He reached up and brushed a stray tear away with his thumb. "I'm fine. Look at me. I'm fine. Where's Dief?"

"At the consulate with Turnbull." Meg closed her eyes as he continued to hold her face in the palm of his hand. "Oh God. Ben."

"I was hit on the head. Worse has happened. Now, wasn't there something you wanted to say?"

"Excuse me?"

"When Bolt was going to shoot us."

"Ah. Yes. Well."

"Meg." Fraser held her gaze. "This is me. Talk to me, please. Are you ill? Are you being moved? Please Meg." He could feel his pulse begin to race as her eyes closed under his touch.

"I did have something to say."

"Please."

"Don't be mad." Meg watched as he raised an eyebrow.

"How could I possibly be mad? Meg?"

"Fraser." She paused as he looked up at her. "I'm."

"Meg."

"I'm pregnant."

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A/N Is this the last we've heard of Bolt? How will Fraser react to Meg's news? Please review.


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer I do not own Due South, if I did there would still be new episodes on TV!**

**What now?**

Kowalski walked alongside Elaine as they headed towards the Bail Hostel that Bolt had called home since his release from prison. He was still worried about his friend but couldn't shake the feeling that Elaine was right. There was no way Bolt had the intelligence or the means to do what he did without help. He paused as Diefenbaker whined.

"I know." He looked down at the half wolf. "Frase will be fine."

"I hope so." Elaine sighed. "Thatcher looked distraught."

"Yeah, well those two have been close since we all came back to Chicago." He smiled "Real close."

"Like you and Assistant States Attorney Beckett?" Elaine teased. "What is it with you and attorneys?"

"I guess I go for brains aswell as beauty. Which is why I've always been in love with you Elaine. But you insist on ignoring me." He held a hand over his heart dramatically as Elaine laughed.

"Yeah, right."

"Don't put yourself down Elaine. You are a beautiful woman. Any guy would be lucky to have you."

"Now you sound like my dad."

"Well, he's a wise old man." Kowalski ushered the half wolf across the road to the Bail Hostel's entrance as Elaine looked at him. Something about what he had said made her think he hadn't been teasing her as he usually did. She shook her head and pushed all thoughts of his teasing her to the back of her mind. She had to concentrate on the job in front of her. Someone else had helped Bolt abduct Meg and Fraser and she intended to find out who .

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"A baby?"

"Yes Fraser that is what being pregnant normally refers to." Meg wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry.

"And Bolt was going to shoot us."

"I know." Meg closed her eyes as she thought about how close they had been to loosing everything. She knew there were hundreds of criminals in both their pasts that would love the chance Bolt had found. There was more than one psychopath that would like to see them both dead.

"I'm going to be a dad. A father?"

"You are." Meg smiled as he linked his fingers through her's. "What do you think of that?"

"It's amazing. I mean. I never, after what happened I thought the doctors said you. You know."

"After you found me in Ottawa? Yes the doctors said I was so badly injured that I may not be able to concieve but it seems they were wrong." Meg smiled.

"We're having a baby." Fraser smiled as Meg nodded.

"Yes, we are."

"I told you son." Fraser snr appeared in the corner of the room as Fraser closed his eyes and inwardly groaned. He knew his father would appear sometime but he was dismayed to see his tact was as non existant in life was still abscent in death. He wanted to scream but knew several people had already questioned his sanity. Meg was one of them.

"Yes."

"I told you babies were in the air. I told you son, that grandchildren were on the way." He smiled as he saw his son look at him and silently beg him to leave. "Right you are son. Right you are." He disappeared as quickly as he had arrived as Meg leant forward and kissed her fiance.

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"FRANCESCA!" Welsh yelled from behind his desk.

"Sir?" Francesca stuck her head around the office door.

"Have you spoken to either Elaine or Kowalski in the last half hour?"

"No sir."

"Did they say where they were going?" Welsh rubbed a hand over his tired features. He just wanted to go home. It was all getting too much. Not for the first time he wondered if he should take early retirement.

"No, but I'll call Ray. He'll know if anyone does."

"Thank you." Welsh sighed. He couldn't shake the feeling that both Elaine and Kowalski had managed to walk headlong into danger. He prayed he was wrong but he knew that there was a very high chance Kowalski had done just that.

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A/N If anyone is still reading. Please review.


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer I do not own Due South. (Is anyone still reading this?)**

**The Truth Hurts?**

Francesca grabbed her denim jacket as she bolted towards the door of the bullpen. All she could think about was the potential danger her friends may be in. She stumbled backwards as she felt two warm hands grab her shoulders.

"Sis?"

"Ray." She sighed. "Are you trying to give me a heart attack?"

"No, but if you don't slow down I think you'll give yourself one." He frowned as his younger sister rolled her eyes.

"Ray, I really don't have time for this right now."

"Make time."

"Ok ok." She paused as she tried to order her thoughts. "Bolt is in the cells. Elaine and Kowalski think he must have had help to get Fraser and Meg but I think I know who helped them and if I stay here talking to you, like I am talking to you then I wont get to them in time and Elaine is not answering her cell phone which means I have no time to stand here talking to you I have to go there so that I can warn them." Ray frowned as he tried to decifer what he was hearing. If anyone could babble it was his baby sister. She also had an uncanny way of making sense to those who knew here well enough. He thought he had just about made out what she was babbling about.

"Right. Come on."

"What?"

"Kowalski said he was going to check out the Bail Hostel." He opened the door to the bullpen. "Are you coming or what?"

Francesca shook her head as she walked past her brother in to the corridor outside. Vecchio couldn't help but laugh as his sister marched on ahead. Neither of them saw Lt Welsh watch them with folded arms as they bickered away, the same way they had since Francesca had learnt to talk.

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Elaine froze as she walked past the hostel's receptionist. The small woman with the wiry hair had given her the creeps the first time she had met her. Now was no different. She felt Kowalskis hand on her back as they walked towards Bolt's room.

"Mrs Patterson says Bolt shared a room for the first two weeks he was here."

"Did she say who he shared with?"

"Oh yes."

"Well?" Elaine just wanted to get out of there and was in no mood for Kowalski's dramatics.

"A man by the name of Howard Vernon Gold."

"And he would be?" Elaine rested a hand on the door handle as Kowalski stepped closer to her.

"A man who was convicted of abduction and attempted murder in 1983. He's been out of prison for two years, on licence. You thinking what I am thinking?"

"Yeah." Elaine stared at his chest as Kowalski tried to hide the fact his heart was beating faster than he thought possible.

"And I have a very warped mind, so that can't be good." He closed his eyes the moment the words left his lips. The click of a point 45 and they way Elaine gasped were the last thing he heard before his world went dark.

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"Meg?"

"I'm here." Meg traced a finger along Fraser's forehead.

"Are you ok?"

"I'm fine." She smiled a little as his eyes opened and locked onto hers. "We are fine." She took his hand and rested it on her still flat abdomen. He glanced down at their interlocked fingers and smiled.

"I wasn't dreaming then?"

"Nope." She returned his smile.

"Good." He glanced back up at her. "The doctor said I can go home tomorrow."

"That's great." She sighed in relief. "I'll call by and collect you. Maybe then Mrs Vecchio will stop worrying about us."

"She has somewhat taken me as one of her own. I can't thank her enough for the way she has just accepted me and Diefenbaker."

"I know. I guess when Vecchio was undercover it made her feel better that she was able to keep an eye out for you." Meg watched as he blushed. "I mean we weren't. You know. And you and Ray are best friends."

"She means well."

"She does."

"What about the case? Have the guys made any arrests?"

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Ray slammed the brakes on his Buick as his sister shot him a dirty look.

"What?"

"Ray!"

"Look, if what you are telling me is right."

"It is!"

"Then Elaine and Kowalski have walked into a whole heep of trouble." Ray opened the car door as his sister nodded. She knew they had to get into the Bail Hostel. She just didn't know if she was ready to face what they may find.

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A/N Please review.


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer I do not own Due South :(**

**Headache?**

Elaine knew she had to stay calm. There was a very real chance that at least half the people living in the Bail Hostel had been put in prison because of her and her friends. She could have kicked herself for not seeing that someone there would more than likely try to attack one of them. She dragged her eyes away from the bald man as she heard Ray groan at her feet.

"You are police." The man spoke in accented English.

"Yes." Elaine saw no point in lying.

"And you just assaulted a police officer." Kowalski dragged himself back to his feet as he tried to fight the dizzyness that was slowing him down.

"I see."

"And you are?" Elaine tried not to let out a sigh of relief as he put the gun back in his pocket.

"Howard Gold. You should know, it was your pals back at the station that put me in prison.." He shook his head.

"I was away for a while." Elaine explained.

"Yeah, well." Lindsey shrugged. " I don't take kindly to people snooping around my room. In this place it is usually someone trying to steel my stuff. Place is full of thieves, I tell ya."

Kowalski rolled his eyes. "Thieves in a Bail Hostel? Really? What is the world coming to?"

"Ray." Elaine warned as Lindsey stepped past her and unlocked the door. She let him push the large black door until two single beds could be seen. "You have a roommate?"

"I did. Mad as a hatter. Randell K Bolt." He shook his head as both police officers stared at each other. "Not seen him for a few days."

"How do you know him?" Kowalski asked.

"Did I hit you too hard? We are roomies in a Bail Hostel. I read up about him, know all about his little plan with the RCMP and the train. Insane. That man is insane."

"Something we agree on." Kowalski smiled slightly as he took his glasses out of his pocket.

"Where is he?" Elaine stepped into the room.

"No idea." Elaine sighed. At least it wasn't common knowledge that Randell Bolt was on his way back to prison. She didn't know how much the man in front of them had known. There was no need to tell him anything they didn't think he already knew. She had never been so relieved to have made an arrest as she was when Meg and Fraser had been rescued. Now they jusst had to make the case stick.

"What about you? You got anything to hide?" Kowalski stepped forward.

"Me? Nah. Look. You know what I was in prison for. You need to search the room then you carry on. All his stuff is in the corner." He pointed to the bed on the right. "I tell you, since he went AWOL I've actually had a good night's sleep."

"Right. Yeah, I can see how having him here would give you the creeps." Elaine smiled as Kowalski tried to be sympathetic. It seemed everyone who came into contact with Bolt was slightly wary of him.

"Yeah, well there is that. But he snores real bad." Gold laid down on his own bed and crossed his ankles. Elaine couldn't help but laugh.

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Diefenbaker rested his head on Fraser's lap as he sat on the sofa in Meg's living room. She had insisted they go back to her apartment rather than let him struggle in his bedsit.

"I'm alright." Fraser stroked the wolf's head as Diefenbaker whined once. "You rest, old friend. I'm fine."

"Are you?" Meg walked towards him as he nodded.

"I need to get back to work." He watched as she closed her eyes.

"Ben, if you even think about setting foot back in the Consulate before the beginning of next week I will personally have you transferred to the Yukon." She watched as he wrapped an arm around her waist. She had no idea how it had taken so long for them to get together and she cursed herself for her abillity to push away people she cared about. Fraser kissed her bare arm as he waited for her to pull herself back to the present day. He knew when she was lost in her own world.

"Yes, Sir." He watched as she smiled before letting herself slip into his lap. "Meg."

"Ssh." Meg kissed his jaw as Diefenbaker whined before walking away. The last thing he needed to see was his humans being all lovey dovey. He hadn't eaten for a while and the last thing he needed was his digestion to be upset.

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Francesca ran across the road as her brother chased after her. She could just sense that her friends were in trouble but had no idea how to help them.

"Ray!" She turned as her brother caught up with her.

"Franny, stay here."

"No!" She pushed the door of the Bail Hostel open and marched on ahead muttering about how annoyingly overprotective her brother was. Vecchio couldn't help but smile as he walked straight past the woman at reception and up the stairs where he could hear Elaine talking animatedly. He didn't know what he would find by the time he got there.

"Francesca." He hissed as his sister nodded. She knew exactly what he was getting at and there was no way she was going to let sibling rivalry get in the way. He pulled out his gun and dived around the corner as Francesca shouted.

"Stop! Police!"

"It's ok." Elaine smiled as Gold's hands sprung up into the air.

"I ain't done nothing! Not for ages!" He panicked as Vecchio lowered his gun.

"Apart from when you hit me over the head." Kowalski rubbed his head. "If I could be bothered we could arrest you for assaulting a police officer."

"Hey." Gold raised his hand. "You were snooping round my room, how was I to know you guys were cops?"

"Excuse me?" Francesca raised an eyebrow "But what is going on?"

"Old Howard here, he's helping us out. Seems Bolt was nothing but trouble when he was here."

"That guy is trouble period." Vecchio sighed. "Look, he's in custody."

"Yeah but see this?" Elaine handed him a diary. "Seems Bolt just couldn't help but write down all his plans, including the names of all his accomplices." She smiled as Vechhio flipped through the book.

"Warrent?" He looked up as Kowalski and Francesca rolled their eyes.

"Hey, no." Gold shook his head. "Consider that my way of repaying the police for getting that man as far away from me as possible., I mean, I certainly aint no angel and I certainly ain't going to Heaven but that guy is evil in a league of his own."

"Thanks." Kowalski leant heavily against the wall as the dizzyness began to overwhelm him.

"Yeah." Elaine smiled as she took Kowalski's arm. "Ray, Fran can you get this back to the station and I will get this one to the Emergency Room." Kowalski raised an eyebrow as she spoke. Francesca smiled, it seemed everyone else was aware of the close friendship between the too apart from them. It was almost like watching Meg and Fraser again.

"Me? Why? I'm fine. Honestly guys I'm fine. It's just this place. The whole damn room is moving."

"Ok, humour me." Elaine smiled as she led the disorientated detective out into the street.

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A/N Anyone reading this? Please review.


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer I do not own Due South.**

**Patching things up?**

Elaine folded her arms as she waited in the overcrowded waiting room for Kowlaski to appear. He had been with the doctor for almost twenty minutes and she was beginning to get concerned. The crying child next to her and the drunk singing in the corner weren't able to distract her. It was clear that Kowalski had taken a nasty knock to the head, even his thick skull was unable to withstand a punch like the one he had recieved. She glanced at her watch and debated whether to call Fraser or Francesca. Both were close to Kowalski and she was beginning to think that he would rather either of them be with him than her. Before she could slip outside to use her cell phone he appeared looking rather sorry for himself.

"Ray?"

"Yeah. You waited?"

"What else was I supposed to do?" Elaine smiled.

"Thanks." Ray smiled sheepishly. "Any news on Bolt?"

"No but the DA has said he'll be in custody until his trial. Apparently assault and kidnapping are breaching the terms of his bail conditions." Elaine watched as Ray smiled.

"Really? Who'd have thought it? A little thing like grade A felony." He shook his head as Elaine pulled her car keys from her purse.

"Come on Ray." Elaine smiled as she led him from the packed Emergency Department waiting room. She had a feeling just because they had the DA on their side and the men responsible for hurting Meg and Fraser in custody the trouble wasn't over.

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"Sir?" Turnbull looked up as Meg walked into the Consulate.

"Good morning Turnbull." Meg tucked a strand of black hair behind her ear as she spoke. "I assume the required improvements to security have been implemented?"

"Yes, I mean. Mostly. Almost." Turnbull rambled as Meg raised an eyebrow. "Is Constable Fraser with you?"

"Yes, he's with Diefenbaker."

"Ah, of course." Turnbull still wasn't quite sure what was going on between the Inspector and his colleague but he knew there was definately something he was missing. Francesca had rolled her eyes and said "duh!" When he had mentioned it. He wasn't quite sure what she had meant.

"Oh and Turnbull?"

"Yes, Sir."

"I want a full report into the events surrounding the latest security breach on my desk by the end of today."

"But."

"But nothing Constable. Were you or were you not the only serving officer of the RCMP on duty during my absence?"

"I was."

"Well then, you will have all the necessary knowledge that we will need to ensure that security has been improved." Meg held his gaze. She knew he was intimidated by her but she really didn't care. Turnbull was a good Mountie. But to say he stuck to the book was an understatement. She knew Fraser was the same in many respects but at least he had started to see grey areas where there had only been black and white before.

"Yes Sir. Of course Sir."

Meg nodded as Fraser and Diefenbaker appeared in the doorway. The half wolf let out a slight bark as he sat and watched Turnbull make his excuses and leave the office as quickly as humanly possible.

"Fraser?" Meg snapped as Turnbull closed the door behind him. It was then she noticed how pale he was. "Ben? What is it?"

"I just spoke with Ray."

"Which one?"

"Vecchio." He watched as Meg left her chair behind her desk and crossed the room to him.

"What's wrong?"

"Kowalski was hurt. He and Elaine went to the Bail Hostel where Bolt had been living. Seems he was even frightening other people there. He was released on licence but one of his terms of release was that he live in the hostel."

"How was Ray hurt? Is he ok?"

"I think so. I was told Elaine had taken him to the ER. Apparently he had a concussion."

"Would anyone be able to tell the difference?" Meg held up a hand. "Sorry."

Fraser smiled slightly. "The good news is Ray and Francesca found enough evidence to put Bolt back behind bars for a very long time."

Meg returned the smile as Diefenbaker curled up on the mat opposite the desk. He was fed up of the humans. Neither seemed to have any food. He sighed, at least the american always had donuts.

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The cell was too small. He smiled as he ran a hand over his grey beard. His cousin would be proud. He knew that but he had yet to succeed. Depsite his best efforts the Mounties and the Chicago PD had yet to pay for what they had done to him and his cousin. For what they had done to America! He shook his head, he could wait. He was determined that they would understand the magnitude of what they had done. His day in court would prove eventful to say the least.

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A/N More soon? Worth going on? Not much more left.


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer I do not own Due South.**

**Three Months Later...**

Elaine stood at the entrance to the Courthouse wondering where the others had got to. Welsh was already inside with Francesca and Huey and Duey. She checked her watch as the grey Chicago sky began to threaten rain. She had been dreading the day they would face Bolt in court but she knew the evidence was watertight. He was definately going back to prison.

"Ray." She rolled her eyes as Ray Kowalski jogged across the road towards her.

"Sorry." He smiled apologetically as Elaine rolled her eyes.

"The Judge is due to start in the next five minutes. Where's Vecchio and the others?"

"Ray's parking the car, you know what he's like with that Buick." Kowalski couldn't help but smile as Elaine slipped her hand into his. It was all still new but he had a feeling that although things between him and Elaine had changed quickly it was for the better.

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Judge Harold Burgess sat in his chair as he waited for the prosecutor to start. He had read Bolt's previous history and knew that trials involving the Bolt family could be eventful. As the prosecutor called Ray Vecchio to the witness box he tensed, something just had to go wrong.

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Meg stared in the mirror as she tried to clear her mind. Her uniform barely fitted these days and she felt fat and uncomfortable whatever Fraser said to her. She straightened her tunic as she heard the door to the Women's bathroom open.

"Meg."

"This is a ladies room, Fraser. And you shouldn't be in here." She glanced at him in the mirror as he blushed uncontrollably.

"Ah, well yes."

"What do you want?"

"You."

"Ben!" She turned to him. "We are on duty."

"I. er. Well. The Judge said you would be the next witness so I came to find you. Not that I er don't you know. I well."

"Fraser, I guessed what you meant." She smirked as he swallowed hard. She loved th fact she could still make him blush. "The trial?"

"Stop worrying." He watched as she looked at the floor.

"He has been trying to kill you for years."

"So?" Fraser looked genuinely lost. He had no idea why Meg was worried. Bolt was under armed guard and so far no one had even considered trying to tie him and Vecchio together with explosives since they had arrived at the courthouse.

"So, why would he stop now?"

"Meg." Fraser stared at her. "I am fine. You are fine and no one is going to kill anyone here today." He wrapped his arms around her from behind and kissed her neck.

"I."

"And red really does suit you." He kissed her neck again as she closed her eyes.

"That was what got me into this situation in the first place." He smiled into her neck as she spoke. One hand resting on her swollen abdomen he kissed her again as the baby kicked his hand away.

"I remember." He smiled before pulling back. "Inspector I believe you are wanted in court." Fraser watched as she straightened up to her full height.

"Thank you Constable." She met his eye for a moment before leading the way out of the bathroom.

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A/N Ok I'll finish it. More soon?


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer I do not own Due South.**

**Facing the Truth.**

Meg stared at the man in the dock as she answered the questions. She would not give Bolt the satisfaction of looking away. She had been terrified the entire time she had been abducted but there was no way the man that had intended to kill her and Ben would ever know. She was an inspector with the RCMP and that meant something. She did not scare easily. Not that she was going to let people know, anyway.

"Inspector Thatcher." The Judge stared at her. "Is there anything else you would like to add to your testimony?"

"No, Your Honor."

"Then you are free to go." The Judge smiled slightly as Meg stepped down and walked towards the exit. She knew Fraser, Vechhio and Francesca had already given their testimony. It had her that was the last witness to go on the stand, which at the time she had been grateful for. It had allowed her to get over the almost relentless nausea she had suffered almost every morning until at least 11 am. Now she just wanted to go home.

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"You reckon the Dragon Lady is going to be ok?" Vecchio looked up as Fraser raised an eyebrow.

"Don't call her that Ray." He stared at his friend.

"Sorry Benny. Old habits die hard." Vecchio smiled as a young court officer walked into the room.

"She isn't as tough as she'd like you to think." Fraser sighed.

"But she'll be ok in there? I mean Bolt is going back to prison, yeah?" Vecchio looked up as the court appointed aid walked in the room. The pretty blonde smiled at Kowalski as Elaine folded her arms and looked out the window.

"Yes." Fraser answered with more certainty than he felt. "Yes. She will be."

Kowlaski stood and walked towards Elaine as she turned back to the room.

"Hey, what is it?" He ignored the blonde.

"That van? Was it there earlier?"

"The black one? Ford Transit?"

"Yeah." She turned back to him as he frowned. "That one. The only one in the street." She raised an eyebrow as Vecchio chuckled in the background. It still wasn't common knowledge that Kowalski and Elaine were dating but it was obvious there was something between them. They were certainly closer than they had been when Vecchio returned. He was happy for his friends but couldn't help but smile at the sight of Kowalski trying to act cool infront of the detective.

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Meg stood in the atrium outside the courtroom and tried to catch her breath. She had been on the stand for almost forty minutes. She was exhausted. The last thing she wanted was a long deliberation by the Jury. She sighed as she watched one of the security detail walk into the court. She knew that meant Bolt was about to be escorted to the cells. No chances had been taken at this trial. There was to be no chance of a repeat preformance with the explosives like the last time.

"Meg?" She closed her eyes and smiled as she heard Fraser appear behind her.

"Hi."

"Are you alright?" He smiled slightly as she turned to face him.

"Yes." She sighed as he stepped towards her. Suddenly the hustle and bustle of the courtroom faded into the background as she met his gaze. "Ben."

"I don't think we are on duty anymore." He stepped closer to her as she glanced at the clock on the wall opposite.

"Seems that our shift has finished, for the moment." She glanced back at him as they walked slowly towards the bench in the corner of the atrium as he took her hand in his own.

"Come here." He tugged her so she had to sit next to him. They sat quietly as Meg rested a hand on her slightly rounded abdomen.

"Excuse me." The young court officer approached as the couple. "Are you with the Bolt case?"

"Yes." Meg answered. The young woman looked away before summoning the courage to go on. Meg hadn't intended to snap but she was scared. It was a feeling she was getting used to and she hated it. The young woman glanced from Meg to Fraser and back again.

"The Judge is back. The jury have their verdict."

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A/N Last chapter soon x


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer Due South is not mine**

**Verdict?**

The courtroom was silent as the Judge made his way into the room. The guards flanking Bolt were on edge as each stepped closer to him. Meg narrowed her eyes as she felt Fraser rest his hand on the small of her back. Vecchio glared as the jury shifted uneasily in their seats. He knew Bolt was going to be found guilty but he also knew what Bolt was like. There was no way he was going to take the sentance laying down. He remembered the explosives wrapped round him and Fraser. He had a very strange feeling the van Elaine and Kowalski had seen had something to do with Bolt.

"Chairman of the Jury." The Judge turned to the thin man sat at the front of the jury. "Have you reached a verdict upon which you are all agreed?"

Meg glanced at Fraser as the thin man nodded and got to his feet.

"Yes, Your Honor."

The tension in the court could be cut with a knife. All eyes fell on the man about to deliver the verdict. Elaine slipped her hand into Kowalski's as Welsh glared at the man his team had worked so hard to find. He knew that his team had been pushed to almost breaking point and was determined that it wouldn't happen again. Not at the hands of the madman that had plauged them for years.

"And what say you?" The Judge stared ahead as the man in the dock laughed uncontrollably.

"YES! What say you!" He laughed as the Judge banged his gavel and yelled for order. Fraser and Kowalski exchanged glances as Vecchio reached for his gun.

"Order! Quite right Judgey baby we should have order! I order Meg Thatcher and Benton Fraser are tried for treason!"

"This is ridiculous." Meg glared.

"Yes! Treason against the Canadian state. They work here in Chicago with the police. The AMERICAN police!"

"Right." The Judge had clearly come to the end of his temper and was just about ready to explode. "Silence. I will have silence in MY court!"

Bolt smirked as he sat down. The head juror clearly shaking as he tried not to look at the man whos fate they had been deciding merely mimutes earlier.

"Well, what say you?" The Judge turned back to the thin man as he asked for the verdict. Kowalski nodded at Vecchio and Fraser as they quietly slipped out of their seats.

"Ray!" Elaine hissed.

"Trust me." He stared at her as she nodded. "Look after Thatcher."

"Ok."

Meg frowned as she felt Fraser squeeze her hand before he stood and slipped out of the room.

"What?"

"Just because the verdict is in this isn't over." Elaine whispered as Francesca stared at the fire escape next to the dock as two masked men rushed in. She swore under her breath as Bolt clapped his hands in glee.

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"Benny." Vecchio hissed as he ran towards the fire escape with his gun in one hand.

"Ray."

"Look that van has been outside all morning, they must have been waiting for the jury to come in."

"I guessed that."

"Does anyone have a plan?" Huey asked as Kowalski rolled his eyes.

"Stop the gunmen from killing everyone in the courthouse and rescuing Bolt would be my idea of a plan." He hissed as Huey looked away

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Meg swallowed hard as she got from her seat. She knew she was unarmed but she knew that someone had to do something and as an Inspector for the RCMP there was no way she was just going to sit there. Elaine felt for her gun as one of the masked men rushed towards her.

"STOP!" Elaine yelled as Meg was dragged by her hair down the steps. Elaine pointed the gun at the man's head.

"Elaine." Meg stared at her friend, her eyes full of warning. She knew that something had to go wrong at the trial and she was almost prepared for Bolt to make another attempt on her life. Elaine held her gaze as her gun remained fixed on the gunman's head. She knew that if she made the shot there was a real risk she would shot her friend. Once again she was in an impossible position.

"Meg!" Fraser yelled as he burst through the fire escape with Vecchio. "Remember? Remember the steps?" For a moment Meg was at a loss. Huey and Kowalski tackled the second gunman as the security guard and court officer threw Bolt to his feet and cuffed him. The Judge yelled in anger as Meg finally remembered.

"ONE!" Vecchio yelled as his gun was also raised.

Meg nodded as she tensed, her right hand curled into a fist at her side.

"TWO!" Fraser answered.

"THREE!" Meg yelled as one foot landed on his and her elbow connected with his ribs, knocking him loff balance so that he bent double. She twisted out of the way and landed a few inches away as Vecchio pushed him forward and began reading him his rights.

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It was dark when Meg finally got back to the Consulate. She was exhausted but she wanted to make sure Turnbull had coped in her absense. She smiled as Diefenbaker licked her hand.

"Well, it all seems ok Dief." She smiled as the half wolf yawned.

"But are you?" Fraser asked as he stood in the doorway of her office. She couldn't help but smile. To many their relationship had just started, the pregnancy a surprise so early on. But to her it had started the day he had walked into her office and met her gaze. It was just like her to try to dismiss him. She shook her head at the memory.

"Yes." She smiled as he walked across the room to her. Before she could say anymore he had pulled her into his arms and buried his face in her hair.

"I wasn't." He admitted quietly. "I thought." He couldn't continue his sentance as the words stuck in his throat.

"I'm fine." She closed her eyes as she felt his heart beat under his shirt. "Bolt got a life sentance. He isn't going to be released for another 20 years and he is already an old man."

"A dangerous man."

"But he can't touch us." Meg smiled as she pulled back slightly. "It's over Ben. Trust me, he can't touch us."

"Aslong as you are safe." He kissed her gently on the lips as Diefenbaker yawned. Something at the back of his mind wouldn't let him relax. He had a feeling the showdown in the courthouse was not the last they were going to see of Randall K Bolt. He just prayed Meg was right.

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A/N And thats all folks! A final review would be great :D Thanks.


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